Creamy Lemon Garlic Prawns (Shrimp)

Frying pan with Creamy Lemon Prawns, and a wooden spoon resting in the pan.

These Creamy Lemon Garlic Prawns are likely to become one of your favourite easy meals. It is a speedy seafood dinner, made in just one pan, and comes together in about 30 minutes. The prawns are bathed in a creamy garlic butter sauce, elevated with fresh lemon juice. Just be sure to have sufficient bread to enjoy the delicious sauce!

Course Main Course, Starter

Cuisine Mediterranean

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 10

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 385kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

Ingredients

For the Prawns:

500 g (1.1 pounds) large raw prawns/shrimp – prepared weight after shells removed and prawns deveined See Notes 1 and 2
2 tablespoon butter See Note 3
2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

For the Sauce:

2 teaspoon butter
5 cloves garlic – finely chopped
2 tablespoon lemon juice – freshly squeezed
1 cup (250 ml) thickened cream - fat content of 35% See Note 4
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – to taste

For Serving:

crusty or grilled bread
lemon wedges

Instructions

Gently pat the prawns dry with a paper towel.
In a large stainless-steel pan, add the olive oil and butter and heat to medium-high.
Add in the prawns and cook for 3-4 minutes, tossing regularly, or until they are almost cooked through.
Remove them from the pan, and set aside.
Add the remaining 2 teaspoon of butter to the same pan and allow to melt before adding the garlic.
Cook for 30-60 seconds, stirring to ensure it does not burn. Add in the lemon juice and scrape the bottom of the pan to get all the flavour.
Add in the cream, and simmer for 3-4 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce. Return the prawns to the pan and add in the parsley. Stir to combine, and check that the seasoning is to your liking.
Serve immediately with grilled bread and lemon wedges for additional acidity, should you wish.

Notes

Prawns: if you buy whole prawns, you will need to get a kilo (2.2 lbs) to end with 500 g (1.1 lbs) shelled prawns.
Frozen prawns: if you buy frozen raw prawns, defrost them in an iced-water brine. In a bowl large enough to accommodate all the prawns, add some cold water, ice cubes and coarse sea salt to the bowl at a ratio of 1 ½ tablespoons (6 teaspoons) of salt per 1 litre (4 cups) of water. Add the prawns, ensuring they are covered with the water. Stir them occasionally until they defrost. Once defrosted, remove them immediately, pat them dry with paper towel and store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you are ready to use them. They are best prepared on the day you intend to use them.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
Cream: thickened cream is also known as heavy cream or whipping cream. It has a minimum milk fat content of 35%.
Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper for this recipe.
Servings: serves 2 people as a main course or 4 as an appetiser.
Storage: the Creamy Lemon Garlic Prawns are best eaten soon after cooking. However, if you have leftovers they can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on low heat in the microwave or frying pan. Do not heat for too long or they will become tough. If they have been at room temperature for 2 hours or for 1 hour if the temperature is 32 degrees C (90 F) or above, they should be discarded.

Nutrition